Vulkanen 8

Intricate infill

Vulkanen 8 in the centre of Eskilstuna is an energetic yet intricate infill, at a time when cities are growing and housing shortages are high. The divided building volumes add another layer of history – new connections and understanding for the city of the 19th and 20th century. The new buildings are focused towards the inside of the block structure, yet cockily announcing themselves to the street and the silhouette of the city.

Our task as architects has been everything from the first conceptual sketches through to final construction drawings. Every design decision has been shaped with the concept in mind.

The building is situated in the corner of Drottninggatan and Kungsgatan in Eskilstuna, just where the pedestrian street begins – a central point from where the city’s development continues. Earlier there were only a display window and a wall protruding from the neighbouring building. Now, visitors are met with a narrow staircase rising eight floors up in the sky. From the staircase, like red leaved branches, footbridges reach out and catch the two metal clad buildings. The footbridges wind in different ways on different floors to create a three-dimensional landscape. They also branch out to separate the apartments, meaning no one has to go past somebody else’s window. They broaden to make room for life outside the apartment.

The volumes are basically cuboids, with indented balconies and a common roof terrace with a view over the city. The old copper port opens up to create a passage and a sightline through the block, from street to park. The old wall to the neighboring building, with its rough surface of old brick and variable plaster textures has been retained.